B.

3 CENTRIFUGE (C-1)
Assumptions
1. A continuous process is employed in centrifugation.
2. A tubular centrifuge is used.
3. PHB and some undissolved non-PHB cell mass are the solid components,
which are to be separated from the liquid feed.
4. The length to diameter ratio is 7 (ULLMANNS Processes and Process
Engineering, Vol. 2, p. 882).
5. The design code to be used is ASME-UPV Code.
6. The motor efficiency is 80%.

Design Data
1. Volume
volume of Tank
T B

where:
Lt = length of centrifuge
Ht = height of centrifuge

2. Terminal Velocity
Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering 6th edition, eq. 29-77, p.1054

ut =

where:
ut = settling velocity, m/s
r2 = radius of bowl, m
= angular velocity, rad/s
p = solid density, kg/m
3
= liquid density, kg/m
3

= liquid viscosity, kg/(m s)
Dp = Particle Diameter

3. Height to Diameter Ratio
ULLMANNS Processes and Process Engineering, Vol. 2, p. 882

B
B

4. Power Requirement
From Chemical Engineering Design Principles, Practice and Economics of
Plant and Process Design by Gavin Towler & Ray Sinnott, p. 698

P kW
Flow Beau
Eficiency

where:
Flow =Volumetric Flowrate, m
3
/hr
Head = Height, m
S.G. = Specific Gravity
% efficiency = Motor Efficiency

Construction Detail

1. Maximum allowable internal pressure
P gh P

2. Working Stress
Process Equipment Design by Hesse and Ruston

Factoi of afety

where:
Su =Ultimate Stress of Material


3. Shell Thickness
ASME-UPV CODE: Peters e& Timmerhaus (1991) page 537)

t

+ C

where:
P = Internal pressure, psi
ri = Internal diameter, in
S = Maximum stress, psi
C = Corrosion allowance, in
e = Joint efficiency

4. Head Thickness
ASME-UPV CODE: Peters e& Timmerhaus (1991) page 537)

t

C
where:
P = Internal pressure, psi
D = Internal diameter, in
S = Internal stress, psi
C = Corrosion allowance, 1/16 in
e = Joint efficiency

5. Bottom Thickness

t

C.3 CENTRIFUGE (C-1)
C.3.A. Specification Sheet
IDENTIFICATION
Name of Equipment Centrifuge
Equipment Code C - 1
Type Tubular Centrifuge
Type of Operation Continuous
Number of Units 1
BASIC DESIGN DATA
Materials handled
PHB, Biomass, Glycerol, Na2SO4, , H2O,
Impurities
Function To separate solid PHB to washed cake
Material of construction SS316
Temperature 35 C
VESSEL DESIGN
Centrifugal time 20 mins
Volumetric Flowrate 300.89 m
3
/min
Vessel Volume 361.07 m
3

Diameter (D2) 4.51 m
Height 22.55 m
Cake Inner Face Diameter (D1) 3.90 m
Max. Internal Pressure 3.54 atm
Settlingl Velocity 0.017

m/s
Speed 15,000 rpm
Shell thickness 5 mm

Head thickness 5 mm

Weld type Double weld butt joint; spot examined
Power requirement 17.47 kW
C.3.B. Equipment Drawing
































Fig. C.3a: Tubular Centrifuge



Source:
Centrigugugation Processes, Dr. A. Margaritis, Ph.D., F.C.I.C., P. Eng.

Fig. C.3b: Measurements of Tubular Centrifuge
Feed

Liquid
Discharge

Axis of
Rotation

Surface
of Liquid

Bowl
Wall

D
2
= 4.51 m

D
1
= 3.90 m
H = 22.55 m

Equipment Name: Centrifuge
Equipment Code: C 1

Data:
Centrifugal time: 20 min.

From Mass Balance in Chapter 5:
Component Mass (kg) S.G.
Density (kg/m
3
)
Volume (m
3
)
PHB (s) 83,034.91 1.24 1232.56 67.3678
NPCM (s) 28,681.71 1.21 1202.74 23.8468
NPCM (l) 115,851.60 1.21 1202.74 96.3231
Glycerol (l) 102,871.01 1.26 1252.35 82.1424
H2O (l) 4,837,525.02 1 994 4866.7254
Na2SO4 (l) 1,786,724.40 1.069 2056.59 868.78
Strain & MSM (l) 673.49 2.3 2286.20 0.2946
Impurities (l) 9,643.21 0.792 787.25 12.2492
Total 6,965,005.34 Vtotal 6,017.7293

Average Density:
V

Total Nass of Feeu
Total volume of Feeu


kg
m

Volumetric Flowrate:
Centrifugation time: 20 min
volumetiic Flowiate
volume of Feeu
Centiifugal time


m

min

volumetiic Flowiate

Time of Operation:

Time of 0peiation
m

min
min
hi
min



Equipment Volume:
Usually, 20 % allowance is provided for safety purposes;
volume of vessel m

Bowl diameter

For typical ratio of Length to Diameter:


B
B

H = 5 D

Source:
ULLMANNS Processes and Process Engineering, Vol. 2, p. 882

v
B

m B

D2 = 4.51 m or in terms of radius; r2 = 2.26 m

Bowl Length:

B
B
=

B = 5 x 4.51 m
H = 22.55 m
From Table 18.3 of Perrys Ch.E. Handbook 8
th
edition, table 18-13, p. 18-127
Type of
centrifuge
Diameter
Recommended Scale Up
Factor
Tubular
Centrifuge
4.9 in 33


Evaluation based on the Scale up Factor value of 12;

D2 = 3.90 m
ft
m

in
ft

D2 = 137.37 in

cale up factoi
B

Insiue Biametei

in
in



The scale-up factor of is within the range of the recommended scale up factor,
therefore, Tubular Centrifuge is appropriate to use.

Inside Diameter:
volume without allownace
B

D = 4.25 m or in terms of radius; r = 2.12 m
Settling Velocity:

From Table 18.3 of Perrys Ch.E. Handbook 8th edition, table 18-13, p. 18-127
Speed = 15,000 rpm

From Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering 6th edition, eq. 29-77, p.1054

ut =

where:
ut = settling velocity, m/s
r2 = radius of bowl, m
= angular velocity, rad/s
p = solid density, kg/m
3
= liquid density, kg/m
3

= liquid viscosity, kg/(m s)
Dp = Particle Diameter, m



From ChE HB, 8
th
Ed. Table 18-13, page 18-127

=

= 1570.8 rad/s


From Chemical Engineering Design Principles, Practice and Economics of Plant and Process
Design by G. Towler, et al. p.440 Eqn. 8-11

From Mass Balance in Chapter 5:

= x

kgm s oi

Component (Solid) Mass (kg) Density (kg/m
3
) Mass fraction, x
PHB 83,034.91 1232.56 0.7433
NPCM 28,681.71 1202.74 0.2567
Total 111,716.62

Particle Density
p = (1232.56)(0.7433) + (1202.74)( 0.2567)
= 1224.91 kg/m
3

Liquid Density
= (0.0169) (1202.74) + (0.0150) (1252.35) + (0.7059) (994)
+ (0.2607) (1062.59) + (0.0014) (787.25)
= 1018.90 kg/m
3
Component
(Liquid)
Mass (kg)
Density
(kg/m
3
)
Mass Fraction,
x
Viscosity,

NPCM 115,851.60 1202.74 0.0169 1.2 x 10-3 14.08333
Glycerol 102,871.01 1252.35 0.0150 4.2 x 10-3 3.571429
H2O 4,837,525.02 994 0.7059 7.6 x 10-4 928.8158
Na2SO4 1,786,724.40 1062.59 0.2607 1.6 x 10-3 162.9375
Impurities 9,643.21 787.25 0.0014 1.1 x 10-3 1.272727
Total 6,852,615.24 1/ave 1110.6808
From Chemical Engineering Design Principles, Practice and Economics of Plant and Process
Design by Gavin Towler & Ray Sinnott, fig. 10.16, p. 559
For Decanter Centrifuge DP =1 x 10
-6
m;
ut =

ut =

ut = 0.017 m/s

Cake Inner face diameter;

Refer to Chapter 5s mass balance:
Nass of oliu mass of PBB mass of unuissolveu NPCN
kg kg
Nass of oliu kg

Volume of precipitate:
volume of ppt soliu
mass
paiticle uensity


kg

kg
m

volume of ppt PBB m

Vol. of ppt (solid) = vol. of basket vol. of inner face of cake

m

D1 = 3.90 m or in terms of radius; r1 = 1.95 m

Power requirement:

From Chemical Engineering Design Principles, Practice and Economics of Plant and Process
Design by Gavin Towler & Ray Sinnott, p. 698

P kW
Flow Beau
Eficiency


Assumption Motor Efficiency = 80%
P kW

m

hi
m



Power Requirement = 17.47 kW

Material of Construction: SS316
Design Code: ASME-UPV

Maximum allowable internal pressure

P gh P

lb
ft

ft
ft
in

psi
P psi oi


Maximum Stress (S)
(Process Equipment Design by Hesse and Ruston, Equation 4-1)

S = Su Fm Fr Fa Fs

where:

Su =565 MPa for S31600; Ultimate Stress of Material
(ChE Handbook, 8th Edition; Table 25-11)
Fm = 1.0; material factor or grade of steel
Fr= 1.06; stress relieving factor
Fa = 1.0; radiographing factor (not required for ts < 1.25 in)
Fs = 0.25; type of steel factor

NPa

lb
in

NPa

psi


Shell Thickness (ts):

t

+ C ;

se uouble welu butt joint

where:
P = Internal pressure, psi
ri = Internal diameter, in
S = Maximum stress, psi
C = Corrosion allowance, in
e = Joint efficiency (0.85 for double welded butt joint, spot examined)

t

+ C ;

psi m
ft
m

in
ft

psi psi

in
t

in oi mm

Head Thickness (th): For ellipsoidal head:

t

PB
e P
C

psi m
ft
m

in
ft

psi psi

in
t

in oi mm

Bottom Thickness (tb):
t